Cigarette holder

ABSTRACT

A two-part cigarette holder comprising a plastic mouthpiece, adapted to receive and hold a removable filter and a metal sleeve moveably mounted on said mouthpiece forming a slidable joint extending from an airtight cigarette holding position to a buttejecting position. The sleeve is tapered in part to snugly fit the corresponding taper in a telescopic manner about the mouthpiece to prevent air leakage when extended to a smoking position. The filter or a constrictable flanged rim on the ejector end of the mouthpiece positively removes butts when the sleeve is retracted. A plurality of perforations about the metal sleeve circumference reduces the heat flow. The diameters of both parts are sized to prevent inadvertent separation.

Unite States Patent [191 Tarrant 1 CIGARETTE HOLDER [76] Inventor: John G. Tarrant, 218 Seabreeze Ave., Palm Beach, Fla. 33480 22 Filed: Nov. 15, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 198,902

[52] 11.5. CI. 131/182, 131/187 [51] Int. Cl. A245 13/10 [58] Field of Search 131/182,189, 201,194, 131/213 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 980,080 12/1910 Eder 131/182 1,834,518 12/1931 Deach 131/182 1,271,159 7/1918 Greene et al... ..131/187X 2,240,538 5/1941 Adams 131/187 3,137,303 6/1964 Shaw 131/187 3,194,246 7/1965 Mantchev... 131/187 2,228,812 l/l941 Burchell 131/182 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 745,770 2/1933 France 131/187 Mar. 112, 1974 Primary ExaminerJoseph S. Reich [5 7] ABSTRACT smoking position. The filter or a constrictable flanged rim on the ejector end of the mouthpiece positively removes butts when the sleeve is retracted. A plurality of perforations about the metal sleeve circumference reduces the heat flow. The diameters of both parts are sized to prevent inadvertent separation.

8 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures [5 e I s /45 4 e 1 m..- 38 3 a m PATENTED MAR 12 1974 SHEEIlUFZ FIG-I as 3| as \\\\\\\\\\\w FIG.-

JOHN G. TARRANT INVENTOR.

FIG-6 PATENTEDIARR I974 sum 2 or 2 3 Flq 6 wo 4 I P 5 v o NM. 3 (a u/ 5 m JOHN G. TARRANT INVEN TOR.

CIGARETTE HOLDER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Recent medical developments have shown the need for improved cigarette filtration. Many devices have been designed for holding cigarettes and many of these have been equipped with filters or filter holders of one type or another. Some holders have also included ejectors for cigarette butts but generally speaking, these are complex, multi-piece structures. There is a great need for highly effective cigarette filters in the removal of the harmful substances from cigarette smoke, particu' larly for individuals who are heavy smokers. Most of the prior art devices that comprise disposable filters are complex, ponderous, and unattractive in appearance. Some of them are much too heavy for comfortable use. Others transmit too much heat from the burning cigarette to the mouth.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention incorporates several advantages in a simple two-element slidable joint structure. The improvements include a means for ejecting cigarette butts, means for keeping a disposable filter in contact with the cigarette, and a means for sealing both cigarette and filter against by-pass air which would be objectional to the smoker or would render the filter useless. Applicants novel flanged and tapered slidable joint provides both an ejecting means and a sealing means. The present invention also eliminates the risk of the two moveable elements becoming separated or lost inadvertently. It is an object of this invention to provide a very firm airtight joint or connection of the two members of a two-part telescoping cigarette holder.

A further object is to provide a device of the character described, with means whereby the firmness and airtightness of said joint or connection is affected to a minimal extent by normal wear of the contacting jointforming surfaces of the two members.

A further object is to provide the two-part holder with means for preventing the inadvertent separation of its two members from each other.

Another object is to provide the described device with means for ejecting cigarette stubs therefrom.

A further object is to provide a cigarette holder as above described that is adapted to receive and hold a smoke filtering device for cleaning and cooling the smoke.

It is also an object to provide a holder as above described, with means for reducing the temperature of the smoke entering the mouth, to substantially body temperature, so as to prevent tongue burn from excess heat and, condensation of acrid constituents of the smoke on interior body surfaces, attributable to differential in temperatures.

These and other and further objects will be apparent from the following description and the claims.

The accompanying drawing is an illustration ofa suitable construction which carries out the objects and purposes of this invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings: FIG. 1 is a side view of a presently preferred form of cigarette holder according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional side view of the mouthpiece of FIG. I but on a larger scale with some parts broken away.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevation of the flanged end of the mouthpiece of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the perforated and tapered metal sleeve of FIG. 1 but on a larger scale.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view on an enlarged scale, of the assembly and jointure of the two members of the cigarette holder taken substantially on line 3-3 of FIG. 1, with some parts broken away.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevation of a cigarette and an elevation of a smoke filter with some parts broken away, held within the assembled holder of FIG. 6 and in smoking position.

FIG. 8 is an elevation of the metal sleeve and portions of the mouthpiece and smoke filter of FIG. 7 with some parts broken away, after ejecting a cigarette stub or to permit replacement of the smoke filter.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary plan view of the bit end of the mouthpiece of FIG. 1 but on a larger scale.

FIG. 10 is a view of the end of the mouthpiece bit and taken substantially on line 88 of FIG. 9.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts or to similar elements thereof, throughout the several views.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawing in greater detail, the twopart cigarette holder shown in FIGS. 1, 6, 7 and 8 comprises a plastic mouthpiece member 11 and a slidable metal sleeve member 15.

The mouthpiece 11 preferably is made of a plastic such as a polycarbonate resin having the following qualities and characteristics: tasteless, odorless, nontoxic, self-extinguishing, of lustrous appearance, high strength and good heat resistance, i.e., will not deform or deteriorate when sterilized by boiling water or controlled steam.

The mouthpiece 11 comprises an essentially hollow cylinder ending in a mouthpiece bit 13, as shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 6 and 7, which bit is thinner in one dimension as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but is made wider in the I other transverse dimension as shown in FIGS. 6, 7, 8 and 9; the said transverse dimension is wider than the smallest inside diameter of the slidable metal sleeve 15 which telescopes it in the assembly of the device. This is purposely designed to prevent the metal sleeve 15 from coming off the mouthpiece bit end 13 inadvertently after the assembly of the sleeve 15 and mouthpiece 11.

Sleeve 15 constitutes an essentially hollow thin-wall cylinder preferably of resilient metal and capable of being anodized or plated or of receiving other surface treatment so as to be attractive in appearance.

lntemally, metal sleeve 15 has a smooth cylindrical wall 24 of uniform diameter and is sized to receive a cigarette having a diameter of approximately 5/ l 6 inch, and about its rearward end has a conically tapered interior surface 43 as shown in FIG. 5. The angle of taper 43 is preferably 3 or more broadly between 2 and 5 with respect to the axis of the sleeve. Sleeve 15 also is shown tapered at 42 as the sleeve is preferably made of material of uniform wall thickness but its outer appearance may be altered if desired and the wall of sleeve 15 may be thicker in some parts than in other parts. Flanged end 44 is formed on sleeve 15 with an edge of approximately 90 with respect to the axis of sleeve 15, to make the sleeve when hot more comfortable to grip with the fingers while retracting it to cause removal of a cigarette stub, while large flange 55 serves as a guide for the insertion of a cigarette.

When a cigarette burns down close to the metal sleeve 15, substantial heat is transmitted to and through the sleeve and in order to dissipate and reduce such heat in the sleeve where it is most intense, a plurality of perforations with small apertures 56 may be formed at intervals about the circumference of the sleeve at its forward end as indicated in FIGS. 1, 5, 6, and 8. These perforations preferably are diagonal with respect tothe axis of sleeve 15 to prevent conductivity of heat in lines parallel with its axis, and to prevent any abutment or jamming of the edge rim of a cigarette with the side edges of the perforations when inserting a cigarette in the sleeve, which would sometimes occur for example, if the side edges of the perforations were at right angles to the axis of the sleeve 15. The number and arrangement of the perforations 56 may be varied.

The forward end of mouthpiece 11 shown in FIGS. 2, 3, and 4, comprises an annular grooved flange rim 19 having a diameter larger than the inside diameter of wall 24 of sleeve 15 shown in FIG. 5. Extending to the right from flange rim 1% is a cylindrical section 22 which ends in a sharp end edge rim 41. The diameter of cylindrical section 22 is smaller than that of flange rim 19 as well as that of wall 24 of sleeve 15 but is larger than the outside diameter of the remainder of the mouthpiece barrel extending to the right. Extending through the flange rim l9 and through the wall of the cylindrical section 22 for a distance preferably of onehalf of the length of cylindrical section 22 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, are one or more narrow slits 51 prefera' bly four, each of which is parallel with the axis of mouthpiece 11, and the width of each slit 51, that is,

the distance between the opposite walls of each groove 51 may be varied but preferably is between from 0.004 inch to 0.0l inch. These slits 51 cause the flange rim 19 to be constrictable as shown in FIG. 3 by the small broken lines running through flange rim 19 and through half of the length of cylindrical section 22.

The flange rim 19 is sufficiently distanced from the point of compression of end edge rim 41 by metal taper 43 of sleeve 15, so as to insure against and prevent flange rim l9 ever reaching the beginning of metal taper 43, see FIGS. 3, 5, 6 and 7, as otherwise flange rim 19 would be telescoped by the metal taper 43 and become deformed and would lose its resistance to constriction, i.e., lose its pressured contiguousness with the wall 24 of metal sleeve when telescoped by the sleeve.

The metal sleeve 15 is telescopically mounted on the plastic mouthpiece 11 and is slidable thereon from a substantially airtight cigarette holding and smoking position, see FIG. 7, to a cigarette stub ejecting position, see FIG. 8. And when the said sleeve is vfirmlyso advanced on said mouthpiece to a cigarette holding and smoking position, the constrictable grooved flanged rim 19 of mouthpiece 11 is constricted by the smooth uniform cylindrical wall 24 of the sleeve 15, and the end edge rim 41 of mouthpiece 11 is firmly choked or compressed on a mating diameter of the conically tapered section 43 of sleeve 15, whereby ajoint or connection of sleeve 15 and mouthpiece 11 is created and formed, see FIG. 6 and 7, which joint or connection is very firm for the purpose intended and is substantially airtight and concentric.

Normal wear of neither the cylindrical side surface of the grooved flange rim 19, nor the edge of the end edge rim 41 of mouthpiece 11, will affect in any way the firmness, airtightness or concentricity of the said joint or connection as wear of the grooved flange rim 19 will cause it only to be slightly less constricted by the said wall 24 of the sleeve, and wear of the end edge rim 41 which provides said firmness and airtightness will just as firmly be choked or compressed by the conical taper 43 in the sleeve 15 but on a slightly smaller but broader width diameter of said conically tapered section 43. Wear of plastic end edge rim 41 by its uniform abrasion against the uniformly tapered metal section 43 of metal sleeve 15, will insure continued firmness and airtightness of said joint or connection.

The pressured contiguousness of flanged rim 19 against wall 24 of sleeve 15, caused by its constriction by the sleeve, will substantially prevent any portion of the cigarette stub, including fragments of its paper wrapper, from becoming wedged between said rim 19 and said wall 24 which otherwise would occasionally occur and jam the cigarette holder in attempting to retract the metal sleeve to eject a spent cigarette stub therefrom.

Mouthpiece 11 as shown in FIG. 2 at its rearward or mouthpiece bit end 13, is formed with a mouthpiece bore 26 which is relatively small, being preferably 0.082 inch in diameter and is flared abruptly at its rearward end on its transverse dimension as indicated at 25 in FIGS. 6, 7 and 10 to increase abruptly over the short distance of approximately 3/16 inch the cross section area of smoke entering the mouth to more than four times the adjacent cross section area of this small bore 26 at the beginning of the flare 25. This construction will prevent tongue burn by causing abruptly a wide and quick expansion of the smoke with corresponding cooling effect.

To the left, bore 26 increases at 27 into a larger opening to provide a smoke expansion chamber 57 shown in FIG. 7, in which the smoke, entering immediately from its compressed containment within the said smoke filter 30, is expanded and cooled. This expansion chamber 57 generally has an ogee profile that is without any concave or convex corner, thus permitting its surface to be more easily cleaned, see FIGS. 2, 6 and 7. The said larger opening 28 also provides a small shelf 31 shown in FIGS. 2 and 6 against which the inserted end of the smoke filter will firmly abut. The largest diameter of opening 28 is smaller than the outside diameter of the smoke filter which is held in bore 33 of the mouthpiece, but is larger than the inside diameter of said filter as otherwise material comprising its filtration element may contact opening 28 and become fouled by condensation of moisturized smoke at the point of its contact with opening 28. Small shelf 31 is perpendicular to the axis of mouthpiece 11. Beyond small shelf 31 to the left as shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, is a short annular bore 33 previously mentioned, which is sized to frictionally engage a correspondingly short portion of approximately Vs inch of one end of smoke filter 30 tightly enough so that it will not allow air to by-pass around said filter whenever suction is applied to mouthpiece bore 26 during the smoking of cigarettes. The smoke filter will thus remain in place and will fit substantially in airtight relationship with annular bore 33.

Further to the left beyond reduced bore 33 is larger bore 35 which may have a slight increase in diameter toward the left forming the interior of the barrel of mouthpiece l1 and sized to provide air space 39 of cooling effect that surrounds filter 30 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 and the junction between larger bore 35 and short annular bore 33 is a gently sloping shoulder 36 which acts to guide filter 30 into bore 33 when pushed with moderate force until it firmly abuts small shelf 31.

The filter 30 is sufficiently longer than bore 35 and holding bore 33 of the mouthpiece 11 to cause its free end to extend out of bore 35 and through the space within sleeve 15 approximately A inch and to within the distance of approximately 5/16 inch from the forward rim of the sleeve. With this arrangement the firm insertion vof a cigarette in sleeve 15 will cause the cigarette to become seated on the free end of filter and the cigarette and the filter will remain in pressured abutment with each other as shown in FIG. 7, and will permit the filter 30, when the sleeve 15 is retracted, to be easily grasped for removal and replacement with a fresh filter as shown in FIG. 8.

This arrangement also provides annular airspace 38 between the end of the mouthpiece 11 and the inserted end of cigarette 20, which airspace 38 surrounds the forward end of filter 30 wherein the smoke between the cigarette and mouth of the smoker is most intense.

Airspace 38, together with airspace 39, provide an annular airspace that surrounds the total length of the filter 30, except approximately /8 inch thereof held in short bore 33 as shown in FIG. 7, whereby the temperature of filter 30 is caused to be sufficiently colder than theintense hot smoke entering filter 30, which differential in temperatures cause condensation and precipitation on the filtration element within filter 30 of substantial amounts of acrid matter in the smoke, said amounts of acrid matter being in addition to such matter as will adhere to the surface area of said filtration element by the mere contact or exposure of the smoke thereto.

In order to prevent the transmission of heat from sleeve 15 to mouthpiece 11 when a cigarette is being smoked in the device, surface contact of these two members is limited to the minimal Contact of the narrow side surface of flange rim 19 of mouthpiece 11 with the wall 24 of the sleeve 15, and to the minimal contact of the end edge rim 41 of the mouthpiece 11 with the taper 43 of the sleeve 15; and further, eachof these two points of minimal surface contact are surrounded on each side thereof by two annular air spaces of cooling effect, namely, air spaces 38 and 45 surround the contact of the flange rim 19 with the sleeve and air spaces 45 and 46 surround the contact of the end edge rim 41 with the sleeve as shown in FIG. 7, air space 46 being connected with the outside atmosphere.

The filter 30 is formed preferably of an outer cover of thin and substantially gas-impermeable tubular material, such as strong paper, filled with convoluted cellulose fibers or other suitable material. Since the forward end of the filter is substantially centered on the rear end of the cigarette, see FIG. 7, the stub of a smoked cigarette having a white filter-tip as a component, may have a central brown patch or stain at its end where it has been in contact with this filter and thus, may be branded or marked distinctively.

Externally the side surfaces 18 on the transverse dimension of mouthpiece ill on its bit end 13, indicated in FIGS. ll, 6, 9 and 10, are uniformly tapered from left to right, bearing away from the axis of mouthpiece II to its end, on a small angle with respect to said axis. These side surfaces 18 have the contour of a circle of uniformly increasing diameter as the taper extends from left to right, and are shown as segments of a circle between points P1 and P4 and between P2 and P3 in FIG. 10. The thickness of these side surfaces 18 uniformly but slightly narrow, proceeding from left to right as shown in FIG. 1.

The upper and lower surfaces 6 on the transverse dimension of the mouthpiece bit end 13 are uniformly and very slightly tapered from left to right, bearing toward the axis of mouthpiece l1, and have uniformly flat plane surfaces 6, shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 9 and in small broken lines in FIG. 10. These two surfaces 6 on any cross section of the said bit end 13, will be substantially parallel with each other in order to permit the bit to be held in the most stationary position between the teeth of smoker with the least pressure of the teeth on the bit and correspondingly, with the least abrasion of the teeth and bit. Each side edge of each flatplane surface 6 is diagonally connected, by a narrow triangular flat plane surface 10, with that edge of the bits circular side surface 18 that is in closest proximity therewith,

respectively, as shown in FIGS. 1, 9 and in small broken lines in FIG. 10. Mouthpiece 11 at its bit end 4 between points P1 and P2 and between P3 and P4 has the shape or contour of segments of an ellipse of preferably 35 as shown in FIG. 10.

The transverse dimension of the mouthpiece bit end 13 is purposely designed as above described, to prevent the slidable sleeve 15 from coming off mouthpiece ll accidently or inadvertently. The sleeve 15 is preferably of metal having sufficient resiliency that it can be slightly deformed to a somewhat oval shape to permit the parts to be telescoped or pulled apart with moderate force.

The aforesaid deformation of the sleeve occurs only during the instant of telescoping and the sleeve returns to its original shape immediately thereafter. The said sleeve is sufficiently stiff, however, that it will not slide off freely and, therefore, will not become inadvertently detached from mouthpiece 11 except by intentional manipulation.

After the two members of the device are telescopically assembled as hereinbefore mentioned, whenever the slidable sleeve 15 reaches a point approximately /8 inch from the endof bit 13, it is stopped by the increasing diameter of the circular side surfaces 18 on the transverse dimension of the mouthpiece bit 13, which said surfaces 18 together with the two sharp edges of each said surface cause the sleeve 15 to progressively deform itself in being pulled off the mouthpiece, and conversely, unless the sleeve is deformed it cannot come off. Under the preferred construction of the device as above mentioned, when the sleeve 15 is at its maximum deformity, during the assembly or disassembly of the two members of the device,-the diameter of the said sleeve on its transverse dimension will be preferably between 0.010 inch and 0.015 inch greater than its maximum diameter on its oval dimension.

The instant invention has been shown and described herein in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment. It is recognized however, that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of the invention .and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art.

What is claimed is:

l. A cigarette holder comprising:

a tubular shaped mouthpiece having a filter receiving chamber and constrictable flanged end, a portion of the exterior surface being cylindrical; and

a cigarette receiving sleeve resiliently and slidingly coupled at one end to the exterior surface of said mouthpiece, the coupled end having a conically tapered interior surface for cooperation with one end edge of said cylindrical portion of said mouthpiece, said mouthpiece and said sleeve being relatively moveable between a first position for retaining a cigarette within said sleeve and a second position whereby upon movement from said first position to said second position, said constrictable flanged end ejects a cigarette from said sleeve;

said mouthpiece having a small radially extended rim at one end adapted to contact said sleeve interior surface in the first position, a relatively small air chamber being formed between said tapered surface contacting said cylindrical portion edge and said rim, said extended rim having a plurality of longitudinally disposed, short slits about its circumference.

2. A cigarette holder as in claim 1, wherein:

said filter receiving chamber is shaped with a relatively small bore portion at one end, sized to snugly hold a filter in the smaller bore end.

3. A cigarette holder as in claim 2, wherein:

said sleeve has perforations about its circumference at the free end to reduce the conductive heat flow in said sleeve.

4. A cigarette holder as in claim 3, wherein:

said mouthpiece has a transverse width slightly greater than the internal diameter of said sleeve to prevent inadvertent separation of said parts.

5. A two-part cigarette holder comprising:

a mouthpiece having a constrictable flanged circumferential rim at one end with a cylindrical circumferential exterior surface portion adjacent said rim;

and

a resilient cylindrical sleeve for receiving a cigarette having a partially tapered interior surface at one end resiliently coupled about the flanged end portion of said mouthpiece and moveable relative to said mouthpiece between a cigarette retaining position and a cigarette ejecting position, in the cigarette retaining position the cylindrical surface portion of said mouthpiece being sized to fit one end edge of the cylindrical surface portion flushly against the tapered interior surface of said sleeve, said flanged rim fitting firmly against a circular portion of said sleeve interior surface thereby forming a joint between said mouthpiece and said sleeve, said mouthpiece rim having a plurality of slits disposed longitudinally about its circumference.

6. A cigarette holder as in claim 5, wherein:

said sleeve is metal and said mouthpiece is plastic.

7. A cigarette holder as in claim 5, wherein:

the said mouthpiece has a filter chamber having a larger bore portion and a smaller bore portion, said smaller bore portion being sized to firmly hold and seat a filter.

8. A cigarette holder as in claim 5, wherein:

said sleeve has a flanged, rimmed exterior end extending outwardly radially for grasping.- 

1. A cigarette holder comprising: a tubular shaped mouthpiece having a filter receiving chamber and constrictable flanged end, a portion of the exterior surface being cylindrical; and a cigarette receiving sleeve resiliently and slidingly coupled at one end to the exterior surface of said mouthpiece, the coupled end having a conically tapered interior surface for cooperation with one end edge of said cylindrical portion of said mouthpiece, said mouthpiece and said sleeve being relatively moveable between a first position for retaining a cigarette within said sleeve and a second position whereby upon movement from said first position to said second position, said constrictable flanged end ejects a cigarette from said sleeve; said mouthpiece having a small radially extended rim at one end adapted to contact said sleeve interior surface in the first position, a relatively small air chamber being formed between said tapered surface contacting said cylindrical portion edge and said rim, said extended rim having a plurality of longitudinally disposed, short slits about its circumference.
 2. A cigarette holder as in claim 1, wherein: said filter receiving chamber is shaped with a relatively small bore portion at one end, sized to snugly hold a filter in the smaller bore end.
 3. A cigarette holder as in claim 2, wherein: said sleeve has perforations about its circumference at the free end to reduce the conductive heat flow in said sleeve.
 4. A cigarette holder as in claim 3, wherein: said mouthpiece has a transverse width slightly greater than the internal diameter of said sleeve to prevent inadvertent separation of said parts.
 5. A two-part cigarette holder comprising: a mouthpiece having a constrictable flanged circumferential rim at one end with a cylindrical circumferential exterior surface portion adjacent said rim; and a resilient cylIndrical sleeve for receiving a cigarette having a partially tapered interior surface at one end resiliently coupled about the flanged end portion of said mouthpiece and moveable relative to said mouthpiece between a cigarette retaining position and a cigarette ejecting position, in the cigarette retaining position the cylindrical surface portion of said mouthpiece being sized to fit one end edge of the cylindrical surface portion flushly against the tapered interior surface of said sleeve, said flanged rim fitting firmly against a circular portion of said sleeve interior surface thereby forming a joint between said mouthpiece and said sleeve, said mouthpiece rim having a plurality of slits disposed longitudinally about its circumference.
 6. A cigarette holder as in claim 5, wherein: said sleeve is metal and said mouthpiece is plastic.
 7. A cigarette holder as in claim 5, wherein: the said mouthpiece has a filter chamber having a larger bore portion and a smaller bore portion, said smaller bore portion being sized to firmly hold and ''''seat'''' a filter.
 8. A cigarette holder as in claim 5, wherein: said sleeve has a flanged, rimmed exterior end extending outwardly radially for grasping. 